McIlroy looking at big picture

Rory McIlroy wants to finish the season as European No 1 before setting his sights on major glory next year.

A second tour win of the season in this week's Omega European Masters would put third ranked McIlroy top of the Race to Dubai standings and the Ryder Cup European points list.

And with race leaders Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey out injured, the 20-year-old wants to take advantage by outgunning current number four Lee Westwood in the Swiss Alps and avenging last year's play-of loss to Jean-Francois Lucquin.

Paired with the Englishman for the first two rounds, McIlroy said: “It's unfortunate what has happened to Martin and it looks like Paul will be out for a while as well so it looks like Lee and I will be favourites in the last part of the season with a lot of big events coming up. It would be great to be the first Race to Dubai winner as well. And there's a nice bonus in there too.”

McIlroy has pocketed over €1.67m euro already this year and he's in line for a potential US$3.66 million (€2.5m) pay day at the season-ending Dubai World Championship in November if he can pick up his second tour title this week.

But after scorching from 174th to 24th in the world since last year's Swiss miss and finishing third in the US PGA three weeks ago, he’s looking at global rather than European domination.

Sporting his first hair cut since winning February's Dubai Desert Classic, he insisted: “This is only my second year on tour and I feel that I have done well in the majors in my first year. I am still only 20 years old and I haven't done anything like the things I want to achieve yet.

"I want to get in the top ten in the world, I want to really get in the mix at a major, I would love to finish this year as a multiple winner.

“Losing here last year hurt every day for a month after that because it was such a great chance to win. But looking back I have played really great golf for 12 months since finishing second here last year.

“I should have won it and it would have been a great first victory for me. Hopefully it will be a great second victory for me this time around."

The Ryder Cup comes second to the majors in McIlroy’s books and he’s sure he will qualify for Colin Montgomerie's team if he achieves his main goals.

He said: “It's a great event and it's every kid's dream to play in the Ryder Cup but I might just be selfish that I want to win tournaments for myself.

“The way I am looking at it is if I play the same way that I have done over the last for the year coming up then I should have no problems getting on to the team.”

As for a potential rivalry with Woods, he added: “Maybe one day if I work on the right things then I could get near the level that he is at. But I have to concentrate on getting to the Number Two spot before I get to the Number One.”

McIlroy ready to perform

The pressure is on in the Race to Dubai but Rory McIlroy reckons it will only bring out the best in him.

Ranked third in the money list chase, €209,245 behind Westwood, McIlroy knows he could go top if he takes home the €750,000 winner’s cheque.

Just €541,667 will count in the Race to Dubai as the event has a limited field but it could still be enough to regain top spot with the HSBC Champions, the Hong Kong Open and the Dubai World Championship to come over the final three weeks of the season.

Rory begins wheelbarrrow run

Rory McIlroy in Crans. Picture: Golffile/Fran CaffreyRory McIlroy won’t be paying homage to the late Seve Ballesteros by teeing it up for Paul McGinley’s Great Britain and Ireland side in the Vivendi Seve Trophy later this month.

“Unfortunatley not,” he said in Switzerland, where he headlines the €2 million Omega European Masters with stablemates Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood and world No 5 Martin Kaymer. “I have got a few sponsor commitments and I have got such a busy end to the year.